Endgate and supporting frame for wagon bodies



Feb. 27, 1951 M. PODNAR 2,

ENDGATE AND SUPPORTING FRAME FOR WAGON BODIES Filed June 7, 1948 "r m/ma t 44 l A -bottom l and lower side members H.

Patented Feb. 27, 1951 ENDGATE AND SUPPORTING FRAME FOR WAGON BODIES Mike Podnar, Des Moines, Iowa.

Application June 7, 1948, Serial No. 3l,475

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improved endgate and supporting frame for wagon and truck bodies. The object of my invention is to provide an improved endgate frame of rigid construction to withstand rough usage and at the same time permit the endgate to be quickly removed or adjusted to permit its upper end to be swung outwardly to form a scoop board for unloading the box or body manually with a shovel, or to permit the lower end to be swung outwardly for dumping the contents by elevating the forward end of the body.

A further object of my invention is to provide improved means for pivoting the upper and lower ends of the endgate whereby either the upper or lower ends may be easily swung outwardly or removed from the supporting frame.

A further object of my invention is to provide in an endgate pivot device having a movable pin adapted to move into and out of engagement with a latch bar, improved means for maintaining the s pin in either operative or in an inoperative position.

My invention consists in the construction, ar-

rangement and combination of the various parts taken on the line 5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 6- 6 of Figure 1, showing the endgate in an inclined open position.

My improved wagon or truck body comprises a The upper edges of said sides each have an upwardly and outwardly inclined portion [2 and each has its upper edge terminating in upright portions i3. The rear end of the body is provided at each side with an end portion M, said end portions having their inner edges spaced apart to form an endgate opening iii. The outer and inner faces of the inner edge of each end portion I4 is provided with upright frame members l5 and I! respectively, each member l5 having its lower end secured to the bolster l8 by a bolt or rivet l9. The upper end of the frames I 5 and IT are tied against spreading by a rod 2|. The upper end of each frame member is further secured by a reinforcing bar 22 having its inner end bent rearwardly to form a latch bar 23 fixed to the upper end of the frame member by an eye bolt 2d mounted in said frame. The opposite end of the reinforcing bar is provided with a forwardly extending portion 26 secured to the outer face of the rear end of a corresponding side member 13 by an eye bolt 2? having its eye mounted on the eye bolt 24. The tie rods 2| and 21 provide means preventing the upper sides of the rear end of the body from spreading and at the same time provide for firmly securing the upper ends of the frame members i5 and. I1 against movement transversely of the .body. An eye bolt 28, having. its looped end mounted in the eye of the bolt 24 and its other end formed in a hook 29, is adapted to engage and disengage an eye bolt 3| mounted in the corresponding side member [3 to brace the upper ends of the frame members against rearward movement when loaded with grain 01,- similar material. The rear end of the floor It is provided with an angle bar 32 to protect the upper edge of said floor. The lower end of each frame member I 5 and H is provided with a latch plate 33 having an arcuate slot 34 for purpose hereinafter made clear.

Supported within the frame is an endgate 3'! having horizontal reinforcing bars 38, 39 and 69 secured to its outer surface and vertical bars 4i and 42 secured to the side edges of its inner face. For pivotly mounting the endgate within the frame in a detachable manner I have provided each end of the bars 38 and 49 with a pivot device 43, each of said. devices comprising a body portion 44 having laterally extending end portions 56 and 41, the outer end of the portion 4? terminating in a cam 48 having a flat portion 48 A pivot pin 49 is mounted to slide and rotate in the portions 46 and 41 having on. its inner end a handle portion 5|]. An extension spring 5 l is mounted on the pin 49 having one end against the portion 41 and the other resting against a'collar 52 providing means for forcing the. outer ends of the upper pins d9 into openings 53 in the latch bars 23 (see Fig. 5). The outer ends of the lower pins 49 are adapted to enter the upper ends of the slots 34 of the plates 3-3 thereby providing means for locking the endgate in its frame. Each vertical edge of said endgate is provided with a plate 54 having its rear edge bent outwardly against the back face of the frame IE to seal the joint between the vertical edges of. the endgateand the adjoining frame member when the endgate is in a closed position.

Assuming that the endgate is in a closed posigate to be lowered to an inclined position as illustrated in Figure 6. Thedownward movement of the upper end of the endgate is limited by chains 55, each having one end mounted on the bar 22 and the other end on the pin 49.

As the endgate assumes its inclined position the lower pins 49 move to the bottom of the slots 34 with the inner corner of the endgate 31 resting on and against the corner of the angle 32 to maintain a tight joint between the lower end of the endgate and said angle, also supporting the upper edge of the endgate even with the top of the angle 32. When the load has been shoveled out of the body the upper end of the endgate may be moved forward to a closed position; the handles 50 are then moved upwardly allowing the pins 49 to enter the openings 53 of the plates 23.

When it is desired to dump the contents of the body the lower pins 49 are withdrawn by grasping the handles 50 and rotating them downwardly to engage the cams 48 causing the pins G9 to be withdrawn from the arcuate slots 34 of the plates 33. The lower end of the endgate may then be swung outwardly with the upper pins 49 serving as pivots. The outward movement of the lower end of the gate is limited by the chain 56, one end of which is attached to the bolster i8 and the other to a hook T fixed to the member 40. This provides means for adjusting the size of the opening through which the load may be dumped. The lower end of the endgate may then be closed and the pins 49 returned to the slots 34. The endgate may be easily and quickly removed from its frame by moving all of the pins 49 to their released position as above described, then unhooking chains 55 from the pins4-9 and the chain 56 from the hook 5?. It will be noted that all of the pins 49 are independently operated. This is very convenient in replacing the endgate to position after having been removed from said frame in aligning the pins with their respective openings.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an improved endgate and frame for supporting the same, which may be easily and quickly removed from the frame when so desired, or may be adjusted so that the endgate may be used as a shoveling board, or to provide for dumping the load by elevating the front end of the wagonv or truck. The frame is so constructed that the sides of the body will be held firmly against spreading When the endgate is removed or the endgate is adjusted to unloading position.

I claim:

1. In combination with a wagon box having an endgate opening in its back end, upright frame members fixed to said back and adjacent to each side of said opening, means for fixing the lower end of said frames to the bottom of the wagonbox, a tie rod in and between the upper ends of said frame members, a reinforcing bar having one end fixed to the upper end of each frame member and its other end adapted to be secured to the upper and respective rear end of 4 the sides of the wagon box, the first said end of the reinforcing bar being bent rearwardly to form a latch bar and provided with an opening to receive a pivot pin, a tie rod for connecting the first end of said reinforcing bar and the upper end of its respective frame member, a hook like brace rod pivotally secured to the upper end of each frame member, means detachably connecting the free end of said rod to the corresponding side of said box, a latch bar fixed to the lower end of each frame member, each having an arcuate slot for receiving a retractable pivot pin.

'2. In combination with a wagon box having an endgate opening in its back end, upright frame members fixed to said back and adjacent to each side of said opening, means for fixing the lower end of said frames to the bottom of the wagon box, a tie rod in and between the upper ends of said frame members, a reinforcing bar having one end fixed to the upper end of each frame member and its other end adapted to be secured to the upper and respective rear end of the sides of the wagon box, the first said end of the reinforcing bar being bent rearwardly to form a latch bar and provided with an opening to receive a pivot pin, a tie rod for connecting the first end of said reinforcing bar and the upper end of its respective frame member, a hook-like brace rod pivotally secured to the upper end of each frame member, means detachably connecting the free end of said rod to the corresponding side of said box, a latch bar fixed to the lower end of each frame member, each having an arcuate slot for receiving a retractable pivot pin, an endgate between said frames with its lower end resting on the rear end of the wagon box bottom, a pivot pin bracket fixed to each upper corner of the back face of said endgate and opposite respective latch bars, a pivot pin bracket fixed to each of the lower corners of said endgate and opposite the upper end of its respective lower latch bars, a spring actuated pivot pin slidably and rotatably supported in each pivot pin bracket, to be moved into and out of the opening and arcuate slot of said lower latch bars; whereby either the upper or lower set of pivot pins may bewithdrawn from their respective latch bars and the corresponding end of the endgate allowed to swing outwardly.

3. In combination with a wagon box having one end open, an endgate frame within said open- .ing, comprising a pair of spaced upright frame members near the sides of said box, means fixingtheir lower ends to the bottom of said box, a tie rod connecting the upper ends of said frame members together, transverse rods and brace rods securing the upper ends of said frame members to their respective sides of said box, an endgate within said frame, a latch bar carried by each of the upper and lower corners of said frame, each of the upper latch bars having an opening and each of the lower latch bars having an arcuate slot, a pivot pin bracket carried by each of the upper and lower corners of said endgate, each bracket comprising a body having laterally extending end portions, one of said end portions terminating in a cam, a pivot pin slidably and pivotally supported in said ends having a laterally extending handle at one end adapted to engage said cam when rotated, to withdraw said pin from its respective latch bar, and a spring for moving said pivot pin to closed position.

4. In combination with a wagon box having an endgate openingin its back end, an endgate frame in said opening including, an upright frame member fixed to said back and adjacent to each side of said opening, means fixing the lower ends of said frame members to the bottom of said box, a tie rod connecting the uppir ends of said frame members, transverse rods connecting the upper end of each frame member to the adjacent side of said box, forwardly and outwardly arranged brace rods connecting the upper ends of said frame members to a respective side at a point inwardly of said open and, an endgate within said endgate frame, at latch bar carried by each of the upper and lower corners of said frame, each of the upper latch bars having an opening, each of the lower latch bars having an arcuate slot, a pivot pin bracket carried by each of the upper and lower corners of said endgate, each bracket comprising a body having laterally extending end portions, one of said end portions terminating in a cam, a pivot pin slidably and pivotally supported in said ends having a laterally extending handle at one end adapted to engage said cam when rotated, to withdraw said pin from its respective latch bar, and a spring for moving said pivot pin to closed position.

5. In combination with a wagon box having an endgate opening in its back end, upright frame members fixed to said back end and adjacent to each side of said opening, means for fixing the lower end of said frame members to the bottom of the wagon box, a tie rod in and between the upper ends of said frame members, a reinforcing bar having one end fixed to the upper end of each frame member and its other end adapted to be secured to the upper and respective rear end of the sides of the wagon box, the first said end of the reinforcing bar being bent rearwardly to form a latch bar and provided with an opening to receive a pivot pin, a tie rod for connecting the first end of said reinforcing bar and the upper end of its respective frame member, a latch bar fixed to the lower end of each frame member, each having an arcuate slot for receiving a retractable pivot pin.

6. In combination with a wagon box having flaring sides and an end portion, having an endgate opening, an upright frame member adjacent to the front and back side of said end portion and adjacent to the upright edges of said opening, means fixing the lower end of said frame members to the bottom of said box, a tie rod in and between the upper end of said back frame members, a reinforcing bar having one end adjacent to the upper end of each back frame member and the other end adapted to be secured to the upper and respective rear end of the sides of the wagon box, an eye-bolt connecting the upper ends of each set of front and back frame members and the corresponding first said end of said reinforcing bar, a second eye-bolt connecting the first eye-bolt and the second end of said reinforcing bar, a brace bar having an eye in on end pivotally connected to the eye of the first eye-bolt and the other provided with a hook, an eye-bolt in each of the sides of said box forwardly of said end portion and adapted to receive the hooked end of a corresponding brace bar.

MIKE PODNAR.

REFERENCES crriin The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 366,734 Olson July 19, 1887 889,295 Carroll June 2, 1908 930,881 Parker Aug. 10, 1909 1,120,521 Oborny Dec. 8, 1914 1,254,932 Pentico Jan. 29, 1918 1,384,212 Price July 12, 1921 1,517,697 Barrett Dec. 2, 1924 1,670,173 Traeger et al. May 15, 1928 

